


Under The Stars

by Avrilsky



Series: A Druid and Her Ranger [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Cuddling, F/F, Fluff, Keyleth being a shy dork, a bit of angst, hand holding, spoilers up to episode 53
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 16:26:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18318983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avrilsky/pseuds/Avrilsky
Summary: Keyleth and Vex take a walk the night before Vox Machina plans their attack on Umbrasyl.





	Under The Stars

Keyleth stared up at the ceiling of her bedroom in Scanlan's mansion, one arm tucked behind her head, the other beside her tracing random patterns on silk sheets. It was late and she should be asleep. They had to rise before dawn to stop The Herd from attacking Umbrasyl without a proper plan, but her mind wouldn't rest, wouldn't allow her to fall asleep.

Thoughts of Vax and the Raven Queen plagued her mixing with her worry of their upcoming fight with the first of the Chroma Conclave. She wasn't sure if they were truly ready to take on Umbrasyl, but she knew they couldn't leave the people of Westruun to his mercy any longer.

With a heavy sigh, she threw the blanket off of her and shifted till she was sitting on the edge of the bed. She picked her staff up off the floor and used her free hand to push herself up and off the bed.

She needed a walk and some fresh air to clear her head if she even hoped to catch a few hours of sleep.

She left her room quietly, stepping as lightly as she could down the long narrow hallway, not wanting to disturb the rest of the group's slumper. She stopped halfway down the hall when she noticed Vex's door slightly ajar, the light from candles slipping through the crack.

Keyleth walked over to the door, knocking quietly with her knuckles though she wasn't sure Vex would be able to hear it over Trinket's snoring.

Unsurprisingly she received no answer and knocked again before pushing the door open a little more and peaking her head into the room.

Vex was propped up against the headboard of her bed, book in hand with Trinket curled up on her feet at the foot of the large bed.

“Vex'ahlia?” Keyleth called out softly when Vex didn't look up from whatever book she was engrossed in. Keyleth was pretty sure it was the book on the Raven Queen that Vex picked up on their last trip to Vasselheim.

Trinket glanced up at her with sleepy eyes, making a low rumbling sound in greeting before laying his head back down.

Vex looked up then smiling brightly at her for a moment before her brows furrowed in concern. “Keyleth, is everything all right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Everything is fine.” Keyleth bobbed her head then rubbed the back of her neck, still so nervous around Vex despite the fact that Vex not only knew about her feelings but returned them as well. “I just couldn't sleep and was headed for a walk when I saw you were still awake. Would you like to join me.”

The words came out in a rush, nearly too jumbled together to make much any sense and Keyleth wanted to slap herself in the forehead, but Vex just smiled at her, putting her book beside her on the bed and nodding eagerly.

“Of course, darling. Just give me one moment to gather my things.”

Keyleth nodded stepped back away from the door to give Vex some privacy.

“Trinket, go with Keyleth.”

There was some grumbling on Trinket's part before Keyleth heard him get off the bed and made his way out to the hall. He lumbered towards her, stopping to nuzzle against her thigh, staring up at her with his big brown eyes, waiting for her to scratch behind his ears.

“Hey, Trink.” She bent down so she was eye level with him and scratched under his chin. “Sorry for waking you. It wasn't my intention too. I was just gonna go for a walk then I saw Vex was still up and figured maybe she'd like to come with me and….”

Keyleth trailed off, taking in Trinket's look of boredom as he tried to move his head to get her to scratch elsewhere. “And you don't care.”

She set her staff down on the ground and reached up, cradling Trinket's head in the palms of her hands and rubbing at the spots behind his ears that made him melt.

Trinket rumbled in agreement then left a wet sloppy kiss to her cheek.

Keyleth shoved him away playfully, wiping his saliva off her cheek and trying to pretend to be disgusted when in fact she was downright pleased.

Trinket liking and trusting someone meant as much to Vex as Vax liking and trusting someone. And Keyleth was happy to having both of their approval.

“Ready?”

Keyleth looked over her shoulder to see Vex leaning against her door frame, a smile gracing her feature. She was wrapped up in one of Vax's many cloaks, her bow and quiver in their rightful place on her back.

Even though her braid was a mess and starting to come undone and even though she looked exhausted, she was still the most beautiful thing Keyleth had ever seen.

Keyleth nodded, picking her staff up once more and with a kiss to the top of Trinket's head, she pushed herself up off the ground.

Vex held out the blue cloak she usually wore to Keyleth, a small almost nervous smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“To keep you warm.” Vex shrugged as if Keyleth wearing her cloak was no big deal, but Keyleth could see the tiny hint of pink creeping up Vex's cheeks.

Keyleth turned allowing Vex to drape the cloak over her shoulder. A shiver coursed down her spine when Vex's fingers brushed the nape of her neck as she pulled Keyleth's long hair out from under the cloak.

The brush of fingers were soon replaced by a brush of lips, leaving a series of gentle kisses along the back of her neck.

Keyleth let out a shaky breath, her heart rate skyrocketing, eyes sliding closed and the grip on her staff tightening.

A pleasant warmth spread from each spot Vex's lips touched throughout Keyleth's body and she had a hard time not leaning into Vex's kisses.

In the week or so since Keyleth admitted her feelings for Vex and they shared their first kiss, they've kissed many times, even made out a few times when the moment presented itself, but those kisses to the back of her neck was a whole other level of intimacy Keyleth hadn't felt before. And as much as it excited her, it also terrified her.

She wanted to react to Vex's kisses, to her touch, to kiss Vex like that, to make Vex weak with desire, but she didn't know how and the thought of doing something Vex wouldn't like or wouldn't want scared her.

Vex was the more experienced one and Keyleth often felt she was two steps behind and stumbling trying to catch up.

Though Vex always seemed to know when to stop before things became too much for Keyleth. She never forced Keyleth too far or into anything she wasn't comfortable with, wasn't ready for, and Keyleth was grateful for it.

Vex was gentle with her, patient. Keyleth wasn't stupid and she wasn't blind, she knew her naivety got on the group's nerves and at times annoyed them, but not Vex. Never Vex.

She would roll her eyes with the rest of the group, but she'd always explain things to Keyleth that she didn't understand. She'd help Keyleth understand.

As quick as those lips appeared, they were gone and Vex was already heading down the hallway with Trinket following along.

Vex looked over her shoulder, a smug smirk firmly in place and one somehow perfect eyebrow raised. “Coming, darling?”

Keyleth nodded, pulling Vex's cloak tighter around her and then took a couple of quick, long strides to catch up with them, brushing her shoulder against Vex's as they made their way down the hall.

Their walking led them outside of Westruun's walls, to the open fields of tall grass. They walked mostly in silence, a comfortable silence, the back of their hands brushing every now and then.

Keyleth's fingers twitched every time their hands touched, not quite finding the courage to take Vex's hand and tangle their fingers together.

Vex for her part seemed not to notice Keyleth's struggle, but every once and awhile Keyleth could feel Vex's eyes on her and watched out of the corner of her eyes as a smile spread across Vex's face.

It was nice being able to spent time with Vex just the two of them without the rest of the group's constant presence, without the feeling of their eyes on them, without them smirking and giggling at everything she said.

Keyleth loved their friends, their family, but sometimes they could be real assholes who loved to tease the hell out of her.

But out here it was just the two of them and of course Trinket, and Trinket he didn't judge or if he did, he didn't show it.

Swallowing down her fear and nervousness, the awkwardness that usually surrounded her, Keyleth slid her hand into Vex's, lacing their fingers together and never taking her eyes off the ground.

There was a small chuckle from Vex and then their joined hands were being raised. Keyleth looked up in time to see Vex kiss the back of her hand, so soft and gentle as if she was the most precious thing in the world. And in that moment with Vex's lips lingering on her hand and the affection shining in those hazel eyes, Keyleth really  _ felt _ like the most precious thing in the world.

Vex made her feel things she never thought possible, things she never thought she'd get the chance to feel.

Between her sheltered upbringing and her destiny to lead the Air Ashari after her father, Keyleth hadn't thought she'd ever have room for relationships, for love. She hadn't thought with her social awkwardness, her tendency to ramble on and her sometimes naive behavior and look on life that anyone could like her, love her.

But then there was Vex and even Vax who looked past those things, who looked deeper and saw the person she wanted to be, the person she was underneath the sometimes crushing weight of her future as headmaster of the Air Ashari. Vex saw all the things Keyleth didn't like about herself, the things she wished she could change, the mistakes she made and somehow liked her anyways, somehow liked those things Keyleth hated about herself.

Keyleth is overcome with this warmth, this feeling of love and she's about to utter the words  _ ‘I love you’ _ outloud, but bit down on her tongue before they could escape. It was too much too soon and despite the fact that Keyleth really did love Vex, she was afraid those three words might scare her off.

She had loved Vex for a long time, long before she confessed her feelings, long before Vax had kissed her. She loved Vex, she was in love with her and as much as she wanted Vex to know she was loved, to feel loved, she didn't want to pressure Vex into saying back, especially if she didn't mean it.

“Come on.” Vex tugged Keyleth by their joined hands, following after Trinket who had plopped down in the grass.

Vex sat down on the ground first, pulling Keyleth along before taking her bow and quiver off, placing them on the ground next to them. She took Keyleth's staff from her and did the same.

Once their weapons had been taken care of, Vex fell back on Trinket, using him as a pillow and dragging Keyleth's hand into her lap, playing with the tips of her fingers.

Keyleth followed Vex's lead, getting comfortable against Trinket then looked up at the clear night sky, up at the stars that were scattered as far as the eye could see, up at the moon full and bright.

It was a breathtaking sight. She always seemed to forget just how beautiful Westruun really was, especially on a clear night like tonight.

“Its beautiful, isn't it?”

“What is?” Vex asked turning Keyleth's palm over and bringing it to her lips to place a kiss in the middle of her palm.

Keyleth sighed in contentment and waved her free hand around them. “The stars, the moon. The crickets singing their nightly song. The wind blowing through the grass. The sweet smell of fresh corn. Just everything around us. Its beautiful.”

She could feel Vex's eyes on her, but she didn't dare look over at her, afraid of what she might see looking back at her. Afraid that Vex would think she was being silly or stupid. Not everyone saw the world the way she did, not everyone appreciated the beauty of nature the way she did.

“You see the beauty in everything, don't you?” Vex asked, her voice no more than a whisper, her finger drawing slow circles on Keyleth's palm.

“It's the only way to live.” Keyleth smiled over at her unable to keep from doing so before turning back to the sky. “What about you? Don't you see the beauty in everything?”

Vex let go of her hand, pushing herself up onto her elbow and tracing Keyleth's cheek with a single finger. “I see the beauty in everything you do.”

Keyleth fought the urge to look away, to hide the blush she knew had already taken over. She was never so thankful for her ability  to see on low light than she was in that moment when she met Vex's eyes, gasping at the softness in them, the  _ love _ staring back at her.

“Vex,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around Vex’s neck and bringing her down for a kiss.

She felt Vex’s lips curl into a smile against her own before she returned her kiss. Fingers tangled in her hair, bringing them closer together as their kiss deepened, Vex’s tongue running along her bottom lip.

Kissing Vex was unlike anything Keyleth had ever experienced. Nothing made her heart race quite like the way Vex’s lips moved against her own. Nothing made her weak with desire like the way Vex’s teeth sunk into her bottom lip and her tongue smoothed over the spot afterwards. Nothing made her  _ drip _ with want and need like the way Vex’s soft but muscular body molded against her own.

Keyleth entwined her fingers in the hair at the nape of Vex’s neck, her other hand slipping under the cloak Vex was wearing and running up and down Vex’s back before setting on Vex's hip, her breathing becoming heavier as Vex broke their kiss and kissed a trail down her jawline to her throat.

Teeth scraping against her skin had her biting her bottom lip and letting out a whimper. She could feel her cheeks heating up when she felt Vex smirk against her neck.

Trinket whined and shifted underneath them and out of the corner of her eye, Keyleth saw him cover his face with his paws.

Vex pulled away then, kissing her once more before rolling over, a grin on her face. “Sorry, buddy.”

Keyleth sat up a bit and shifted to lay her head on Vex's chest, listening to the rapid beating of Vex's heart that seemed to match her own.

“Are you okay?” Vex asked her fingers finding their way into Keyleth's hair, lightly massaging her scalp. “Was that okay?”

Keyleth nodded not quite trusting her voice at the moment.

“Good,” Vex whispered kissing the top of Keyleth's head and wrapping an arm around her, drawing random patterns on her hip. “Good.”

Keyleth closed her eyes, getting lost in the feeling of Vex's fingers on her bare skin, leaving a fire in their wake.

Vex's fingers didn't dip any lower and didn't drift any higher and it took Keyleth a few minutes to realize Vex was writing in Druidic on her skin, although Vex's movement was too fast for her to catch what was being written.

They laid like that for awhile, Trinket snoring and Vex humming a soft tune Keyleth didn't recognize. She could feel herself drifting off to sleep, the sound of Vex humming softly and the fingers in her hair lulling her to sleep.

* * *

_ “Vex'ahlia, where the hell are you?” _ Vax’s voice in her ear pulled Vex from her slumber.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around her, taking in her surroundings, the pre dawn light and tall grass all around her creating a secluded spot tucked away from the rest of the world. She glanced down to find Keyleth’s head on her chest, one of her arms wrapped around Vex’s stomach and one leg thrown over her own.

Vex smiled to herself and ran her fingers through Keyleth’s red lock, teasing out the few tangles there then began to gently massage her scalp as she committed this moment to memory. This was the first time they’d fallen asleep together, the first time Vex got to hold her druid in her arms all night and it was a moment she wanted to remember, that she wanted to be able to look back on.

_ “Vex'ahlia!” _

“I'm here. I'm here. Keep your voice down.” Vex said softly activating her earring. “Keyleth and I went for a walk and lost track of time. We'll meet you guys in fifteen.”

Vex was in no hurry to wake Keyleth even though she knew they had important matters to attend to. Keyleth just looked so peaceful, so completely relaxed and she didn't have to heart to wake her yet. Lately sleep hadn't come easy for any of them, especially Keyleth and she deserved a few more minutes of peaceful slumber.

She closed her eyes once more and pulled Keyleth closer, humming contently when Keyleth snuggled in more, mumbling a sleepy  _ “Vex” _ . She was a far heavier sleeper than Vex.

“Shhhh,” Vex ran her hand up and down Keyleth’s back, soothing her back to sleep.

Trinket yawned and stretched behind her, rumbling low in his chest as a way to say good morning.

“Morning, Buddy.” Vex reached back with her free hand and rubbed Trinket’s stomach the best she could at this angel.

She turned her attention back to Keyleth, marveling at how utterly relaxed she was for the first time in weeks. How beautiful and peaceful she looked when her guard was down and the weight of the world wasn’t bearing down on her shoulders.

Keyleth was always beautiful to her, no matter what it was she was doing. In the heat of battle with focused eyes and determination etched into the lines of her face. In a tavern, one too many ales in and laughing at some disgusting joke Grog or Scanlan told. In the aftermath of a fight, knelt down with Pike helping to heal any injured, concern on her face and compassion in her green eyes. In a quiet moment with Vax, her hand on his arm, the gentlest of smiles on her face.

Keyleth was the most beautiful being Vex had ever seen, but it was so much more than her appearance that drew Vex to her.

It was her compassion, her kindness. The way she saw the world, the beauty she found in every living thing. Her strong moral compass that helped keep the rest of them on the right path. Her love for all living things, whether it be plants, animals or people. The way she was willing to devote her life to her people without a second thought to her own life, her own happiness. The way she treated Trinket as more than just a bear. Her love for Vax and the protectiveness she felt for him.

Vex sighed and met Trinket’s big brown eyes. “I think I love her, Buddy.”

Trinket gave her a sympathetic look, trying to move closer to lick her face but unable to do so with her and Keyleth using him as a pillow. He whined at her almost pouting as he laid his head back down in the grass.

“It’s okay, Buddy.”

Vex looked back at Keyleth with a small smile, smoothing down her wild red locks that stuck up in all directions.

There was no  _ think _ about it. Vex knew she loved Keyleth. As a friend of course but somewhere along the way, somewhere during the months of watching her brother’s poor attempts at flirting with Keyleth and surge of jealousy she felt every time that love had grown into something more, something deeper.

When Vax had expressed his interest in Keyleth to her, she resigned herself to never being anything more than a friend to Keyleth, perhaps a sister in law. She’d been more than prepared to step back and bury her feelings so her brother could have his shot at happiness with Keyleth. Her indifference to the two of them flirting and spending time together alone, sharing secret smiles and laughs soon turned to bitterness and a jealously she’d never felt before.

It wasn’t till after the Raven Queen’s tomb, after she had died and had been stuck in the darkness where the only light came in the form of Keyleth’s voice begging her not to go, to fight that Vex realized she didn’t want to live with the regret of never telling Keyleth how she felt, even if it ended in rejection.

That day Vax had traded his life for hers. He had saved her but he wasn’t the only one. She been ready to give into that darkness, to go quietly without a fight, but Keyleth pleading her not to leave her gave her the will to live, put a fire in her belly to fight for her life.

When she had come to in Vax’s arms, her eyes had darted around the room searching for Keyleth, finding her slumped against Grog’s huge frame, green eyes rimmed in red, tears still flowing freely down her cheeks.

Vex had promised herself then that before the night was out, she’d tell Keyleth how she felt.

In the end, Keyleth had beaten her to the punch or at least attempted to. She stood in front of Vex a rambling fool, stumbling her way through a confess of her feelings and it was without a doubt the most endearing thing Vex had ever seen and she swore she had fallen even more in love with Keyleth in that moment.

She had kissed Keyleth then, not to stop her stammering and not in pity, but because with her hand on Keyleth's cheek and the soft affection in green eyes that few looked at her with, Vex had never wanted to kiss her more.

That first kiss had been quick and gentle, nothing more than a press of their lips, but it had been everything to Vex,  _ everything. _ The moments after their first kiss when Keyleth’s fingers brushed alone her cheek trembling just a little bit, Vex had melted. The lingering effects of her death and resurrection seemed to have faded away at Keyleth's touch, healing her in ways no spell could.

Her touch, her voice, her smile and the she looked at Vex that night made Vex feel whole again, gave Vex the strength to keep going, keep fighting.

Keyleth started to stir then, her grip on Vex's hip tightened as she nuzzled against Vex, mumbling a few words Vex couldn't quite make out.

Vex pressed a kiss to Keyleth’s hair unable to fight off her growing smile as Keyleth buried her face in the side of Vex's neck, seemingly unwilling to fully be pulled from her slumber.

“Good morning, Darling,” Vex whispered fingers drawing random patterns along Keyleth’s back and letting out a soft sigh when she felt lips press against her neck in a series of kisses, each more as gentle as the last.

“Five more minutes,” Keyleth begged, snuggling further into Vex's body and trailing another series of kisses along her jawline this time before settling against Vex.

“I'm afraid we don't have five minutes, we have to meet the others and start planning our next move.”

It pained her to have to say so, she wanted nothing more than to lay here with Keyleth a little longer, allow Keyleth a bit more sleep or watch the sunrise together. They hardly had much time alone and Keyleth she deserved a few more minutes of peace where the weight of her future and Vox Machina's actions weren't bearing down on her.

“This is nice,” Keyleth spoke softly her hand finding Vex's free one and intertwining their fingers without the same shyness as last night. “Falling asleep with you, waking up with you.”

“Best I've slept in weeks,” Vex agreed kissing Keyleth's head.

“A few more minutes?” Keyleth asked bringing their hands up and kissing the back of Vex's hand.

“Just a few.” Vex said kissing Keyleth's hand in return.

They had so much to do, so much to figure out, so many people to protect and save, an ancient dragon to face, but lying there with her druid wrapped in her arms, Vex decided it could all wait at least for a few minutes.

**Author's Note:**

> First time really getting into Vex's head, I hope it was okay and in character. I hope you guys enjoyed and as always feel free to send me a Vex'leth prompt.


End file.
